CIS considers about 30 new projects in science
MINSK. KAZINFORM - About 30 new projects are being considered for implementation in the Commonwealth of Independent States, Chairman of the State Science and Technology Committee of Belarus Alexander Shumilin said when speaking at the 19th session of the CIS Interstate Council on Cooperation in Science, Technology and Innovation in Minsk, BelTA has learned.
Alexander Shumilin said that active work is underway on the next list of projects of the CIS Interstate Program for Innovative Cooperation. The emphasis is on high degree of commercialization and use of extrabudgetary funding. Russian Fund Skolkovo, the program operator, has prepared a preliminary list of such projects. It comprises 11 projects in medicine, 6 in agriculture and energy, 4 in housing and utilities services, and 2 projects in information and communication technologies.
Alexander Shumilin said that 11 pilot projects were approved in 2011, in accordance with the program. "Unfortunately, not all projects got off the ground due to one reason or another. Nevertheless, 8 projects out of 11 were implemented," Alexander Shumilin said. He added that as the projects are implemented, some issues get in the way. They will be discussed during the meeting. In particular this relates to intellectual property protection, legal framework, financing, and commercialization.
The meeting hosted by the CIS headquarters in Minsk on 12-13 October is dedicated to the 25th anniversary of the CIS. The event is attended by the heads of state bodies of the CIS Member State responsible for cooperation in science and innovations. The meeting is expected to examine the situation and prospects of cooperation in science and innovations in the CIS, Central and Eastern Europe, and also the topical issues related to the CIS Interstate Program for Innovative Cooperation by 2020, Kazinform has learnt from BelTA.